Automatic starting system for engines



Nov. 30, 1965 R. c. FENNER Y AUTOMATIC STARTING SYSTEM FOR ENGINES Filed Feb. 5, 1964 INVENTOR. KAMON f 2L/*ZR TTD/ZN United States Patent Office 3,220,397 Patented Nov. 30, 1965 3,220,397 AUTOMATIC STARTING SYSTEM FOR ENGINES Ramon C. Fenner, 101 Queen Aliese Laue, Jonesboro, Ga. Filed Feb. 3, 1964, Ser. No. 342,001 2 Claims. (Cl. 1213-179) This invention relates to an automatic starting system for engines and particularly to an arrangement in the electrical system of an automobile engine or the like for the purpose of starting said engine at a speciiied, preset and prearranged time selectively by a timer switch or remote control such as radio remote wire.

It is often desirable to start engines prior to the actual operating use. In the winter time it is advisable to start cold engines a few minutes ahead of actual use of the automobile so as to reduce engine wear and also to improve operation of the automobile once it gets into an operating condition in traflic or on superhighways and the like. Various devices and modifications of electric systems have been presented in prior art patents for accomplishing this end result. However, these systems all have certain disadvatages in the components or circuit arrangement which reduces the use of these systems in certain circumstances. For example, some of these systems are arranged so that if the engine false-starts with a self-disengaging starter, the starter motor continues to run with the starter disengaged until a timer mechanism has cycled. As used herein, the term self-disenga-ging starter refers to any automotive starter drive which self disengages when the starter switch is closed. In some of the automatic systems, if the engine starts but quits after a period of time the operator of the vehicle must start the car manually by operating the starter switch inside the vehicle and it will not restart. Some of the systems use the usual automatic choke which may not always be the best equipment for remote starting. As used herein, the term remote starting refers to the starting of automotive vehicles through the use of some preset mechanism which automatically starts the engine without the occupant being present in the vehicle and would include such systems where a remote control, such as a radio transmission impulse or an electric line lead from the vehicle to a remote point, is used to start the vehicle engine.

Generally described, without restriction on the scope of my invention as found in the appended claims, the usual electrical circuit of an automobile which may consist of the six or twelve-volt battery grounded to the vehicle chassis, is modified to include one circuit to the starter with a timer switch that is in parallel with a radio receiver switch and both in series with a neutral switch. The starter and timing circuit is arranged electrically with a relay circuit including a normally inoperative relay that is operated by the generator once the vehicle reaches operating speed to release the starting circuit. Included in the starting circuit is an amperite switch which automatically disengages the ignition so as to cut the vehicle off all together once the correct operating temperature has been reached. A solenoid starter control in the starting circuit has the winding thereof Wired in a circuit with the previously mentioned relay -for use in the case of a false start if the starter is of the type which disengages itself mechanically when the engine turns faster than the starter motor and in order to reengage the circuit to the starter motor must be interrupted momentarily. The present circuit includes a centrifugal switch as part of the starter and when the engine false starts the starter motor winds the centrifugal switch which automatically breaks the starter circuit momentarily so it can reengage the same as would be done manually. An in neutral switch prevents operation while in gear or without the normal ignition key. An amperite switch in the starter circuit stops the vehicle after it has warmed to the proper temperature. Other details will appear more fully in the specification.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a remote radio controlled automatic starting circuit for automobile engines which is optional with a self-starting timer switch operation.

A further object of this invention resides in the automatic starting circuit for vehicle engine wherein there is a centrifugal switch for restarting the engine in the event of an engine failure.

Another object of the present invention is the inclusion of a primer system in lieu of the usual choke on the carburetor. I

Another object of the invention is found in the circuit arrangement whereby the engine need not be operated manually in the event a miss-start and whereby the engine will automatically restart if it stalls while the ignition switch is still on. t

Other and further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent upon reading the following speciiication taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

The figure is a circuit diagram of the electrical components and the actual circuit providing the automatic starting of a vehicle engine.

Referring to the circuit and components shown in the ligure, a conventional vehicle battery 10 which may be of the six-volt or twelve-volt type conventionally found in automobiles in the United States, has one side 12 grounded to the vehicle chassis and frame 14 represented by the ground symbols in the drawing, and the other side of the battery 10 is connected by electrical wire providing a circuit 16 leading through a circuit 18 and through the open terminals 20 of a starter relay 22 through a circuit 24 to a conventional automobile starter 26 that is grounded at 28. Circuit 18, 24 extends through one side (and not across) a conventional ignition switch 30 normally operated by the ignition key 32 fitting into a cylinder 34. Circuit 18 continues through a conventional amperite switch 36 whichis grounded at 38 and which'has the other sidel 40 thereof extending through a normally closed neutral switch 42 through a circuit 44 across a normally open timer switch 46 operated by a clock timer 48 of conventional construction. Clock timer 48 may be set for any period of time so that at the end of a preselected interval the clock mechanism (not shown) manually or electrically operates the switch contacts in switch 46 to close the circuit 44 leading to a circuit 47 to the other side of ignition switch 30 and to a circuit 49 through the normally closed contacts 50 of a conventional relay 52 and circuit 49 continues through the normally closed contacts 54 of a centrifugal starter switch 56 that is housed in a mounted with the shaft 58 of the starter 26. A terminal connection 60 on ignition switch 30 is connected to circuit 47 and a terminal connection 62 is connected with a circuit 64 that leads to one side 66 of a coil 68 grounded at 70. It is to be noted that in the operation of my invention, the ignition switch 30 is bypassed and likewise any separate starter button or switch, which may be in the inside of the vehicle, has been bypassed by the present invention.

A separate circuit 70 connects and leads to a con'ventional automobile engine generator 72 grounded at 74, and trom generator 72 leads through the usual voltage regulator 76, and then through circuit wire 78 to the coil 52 of the relay which is grounded at 80. It is to be noted that the energization of the circuit through 70, 78 by generator or alternator 72 would occur when the generator reaches sutlicient speed after the engine has started and this would energize the relay coil 52 sutliciently to pull the armature of the relay to open switch 50 thereby breaking the circuit to the starter 26. This occurs when the engine has started and has reached minimum starting speed.

Circuit 49 includes an electrically solenoid operated engine primer 82 which is operated when the starter is operated to prime the engine just the right amount, just as one would pump the accelerator to inject an extra amount of raw fuel into the carburetor, in lieu of or in addition to the normal automatic or other choke arrangement. As used herein, the expression carburetor primer or primer or priming the engine refers to the use of well known and conventional internal combustion engine equipment which in response to either a mechanical or electrical, or combined electro-mechanical signal, injects either raw or mixed fuel either directly into the combustion chamber of the engine or through the carburetor into the combustion chamber of the engine to assure sufcient fuel for combustion at that time. Primer S2 operates brietly when the starting circuit is actuated and injects sucient gasoline into the engine and then cuts off before any overabundance of gasoline has been provided. A typical primer arrangement of this sort is found conventionally on most aircraft engines such as a Pratt and Whitney which includes a solenoid pump primer.

An optional feature is found in the timing circuit 44 in the form of a remotely controlled radio receiver 100 having aswitch 102 therein arranged in parallel with the timer switch 46 providing an optional way to close the circuit 44. A conventional radio transmitter 104, located at any remote place, such as inside the home, is actuated to close switch 102 at the desired time thereby actuating the circuit 44 and the rest of the present remote controlled vehicle engine starter circuit in the exact manner described previously in connection with the timer 46.

While I have shown and described a particular form of my invention, and optional features, this is only to show one skilled in the art how to construct one operable form of my invention and does not constitute the only way my invention can be constructed, as many variations, alterations, changes, substitutions, eliminations, deviations and ramifications may be made in the embodiment shown and described without departing from the scope of my invention defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a starting system for automatically starting engines, wherein said engine is provided with an electric starter motor, a starter motor drive operative to crank the engine, an electrical generator means su-ch as la generator or alternator, a relay energized to open by the generator, together with a conventional key-operated switch means, and a battery connected to the vehicle ground;

(A) an electric circuit between the starter motor and the battery controlled by the `switch means and the relay,

(B) a clock operated switch being manually settable for a predetermined time at which time it automatically closes the circuit associated therewith and being connected in shunt relation with a the starter switch,

(C) means for disengaging said starter drive in reponse to engine operation, and for reengaging the starter drive including a speed responsive switch driven by ysaid starter motor and connected in said circuit o open the starter switch,

(D) a relay having a coil in circuit with said electric power means,

(E) said relay in (D) having the contacts thereof in circuit with said circuit in (A) through said timer,

(F) an amperite switch in circuit with said starter and timer circuit operable by the flow of current therethrough to open the circuit (A) after a predetermined time to turn oi the engine after it has run for a predetermined time, and

(G) an electric engine primer in circuit with said starter and timing circuit automatically energized upon closing of said starting circuit at rsaid clock operated swtich.

2. The device in claim 1 including a radio receiver in parallel circuit with said clock operated switch, and said receiver having a switch therein closeable in response to a radio signal.

References Cited bythe Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 22,385 10/1943 Coiey 123-179 2,218,847 10/ 1940 Korte et al 123--179 X 2,592,945 4/1952 Odell l23-l79 X 2,650,987 9/1953 Doyle 123-179 X 2,791,699 5/l957 Taylor 123-179 X 2,949,105 8/1960 Davis 123-179 X 2,952,782 9/1960 Woyden 123-179 X 2,975,296 3/1961 Dominguez-Rego 123-179 3,015,037 l2/l96l Parsons 123-179 X MARK NEWMAN, Primary Examiner.

RICHARD B. WILKINSON, Examiner. 

1. IN A STARTING SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATICALLY STARTING ENGINES, WHEREIN SAID ENGINE IS PROVIDED WITH AN ELECTRIC STARTER MOTOR, A STARTER MOTOR DRIVE OPERATIVE TO CRANK TO ENGINER, AN ELECTRICAL GENERATOR MEANS SUCH AS A GENERATOR OR ALTERNATOR, A RELAY ENERGIZED TO OPEN BY THE GENERATOR, TOGETHER WITH A CONVENTIONAL KEY-OPERATED SWITCH MEANS, AND A BATTERY CONNECTED TO THE VEHICLE GROUND; (A) AN ELECTRIC CIRCUIT BETWEEN THE STARTER MOTOR AND THE BATTERY CONTROLLED BY THE SWITCH MEANS AND THE RELAY, (B) A CLOCK OPERATED SWITCH BEING MANUALLY SETTABLE FOR A PREDETERMINED TIME AT WHICH TIME IT AUTOMATICALLY CLOSES THE CIRCUIT ASSOCIATED THEREWITH AND BEING CONNECTED IN SHUNT RELATION WIT THE STARTER SWITCH, (C) MEANSFOR DISENGAGING SAID STARTER DRIVE IN REPONSE TO ENGINE OPERATION, AND FOR REENGAGING THE STARTER DRIVE INCLUDING A SPEED RESPONSIVE SWITCH DRIVEN BY SAID STARTER MOTOR AND CONNECTED IN SAID CIRCUIT TO OPEN THE STARTER SWITCH, (D) A RELAY HAVING A COIL IN CIRCUIT WITH SAID ELECTRIC POWER MEANS, (E) SAID RELAY IN (D) HAVING THE CONTRACTS THEREOF IN CIRCUIT WITH SAID CIRCUIT IN (A) THROUGH SAID TIMER, (F) AN AMPERITE SWITCH IN CIRCUIT WITH SAID STARTER AND TIMER CIRCUIT OPERABLE BY THE FLOW OF CURRENT THERETHROUGH TO OPEN THE CIRCUIT (A) AFTER A PREDETERMINED TIME TO TURN OFF THE ENGINE AFTER IT HAS RUN FOR A PREDETERMINED TIME, AND (G) AN ELECTRIC ENGINE PRIMER IN CIRCUIT WITH SAID STARTER AND TIMING CIRCUIT AUTOMATICALLY ENERGIZED UPON CLOSING OF SAID STARTING CIRCUIT AT SAID CLOCK OPERATED SWITCH. 